Traders, buyers lament high cost of foodstuff, ram

As Eid-el Kabir approach some traders and buyers lament the high cost of food stuff, ram and other items in Abuja.

A survey in some markets in Abuja on Monday revealed that most respondents were bothered by the high price of goods and services.

Price checks for ram is N80,000 for small ram and big ones cost N150,000, last year small ram goes for N45,000 to N80,000 and big once cost from N80,000 to N150,00.

The price of local rice still remains from N24,000 to N26,000.

Before this festive season onion was sold for N600 per basket but now sold for N1, 300, pepper was N2, 200 now N2, 800 and tomato was N2, 500 now N3,000 per basket.

Mr Ahmed Umaru, a civil servant said: “ I will not be able to kill ram this year because the price is very high and I have other bills to pay, I will buy cow meat this period.”

Umaru urged the government to look into the matter as it’s a national problem.

“ How can the food we produce be this expensive.”

A trader, Malam Ibrahim Tanko, also lamented the high price of goods and services, saying “but it’s not our fault. We sell according to how we buy.”

Tanko said some of the reasons for the high price was due to the high rate of transportation and insecurity among other factors.

Another buyer, Mrs Ella Ibe, said that everything was available in the market but at high prices.

“ I will buy what I will use for some days and return after the festive season.

“ We are appealing to the government to look into the insecurity on the farms, transportation, good roads among others, to make it easy for sellers and buyers,” Ibe said.